I think that young people today have a huge advantage when it comes to creativity. They were born with a tool that makes creativity more easier to express: the personal computer.
Now, a computer is not the first thing that you think of when you think of creativity (unless you use a mac ;), but the personal computers we use today allow people to record their own movies and songs, write and publish their own books, create their own publications, businesses, websites, and more... all before they graduate high school.
It does not mean it is easier to produce good art, or to duplicate the professional quality of a CD or Hollywood movie. That level of "perfection" and production are hard to achieve, however, youtube has proven to us that most people are totally happy to watch user generated "real" content.
I don't know how old the dude in this video is, but he is a great example of using a personal computer and to create a fun and decent video which over a million people have watched on youtube.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Whats up with the Economy?
Recently i ran across some very helpful videos presenting metaphors explaining what is "wrong" with the economy right now. I thought they were very good, and found first heard about the people doing them on Presentation Zen.
I think that the biggest issues creating the economic crisis are greed, foolishness, and fear. But the things that are described in these videos by Marketplace Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch do a great job of quantifying at least the greed part. They are really simple to understand and put the crisis in terms that non economically gifted people can understand.
I think that the biggest issues creating the economic crisis are greed, foolishness, and fear. But the things that are described in these videos by Marketplace Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch do a great job of quantifying at least the greed part. They are really simple to understand and put the crisis in terms that non economically gifted people can understand.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Gritty Hope
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In an election year, it is seems easier than normal to get discouraged; To feel like life is not getting better, but worse.Perhaps it has something to do with all the “uplifting” political commercials we have been watching for the last two years. While many tudents make it through middle school with out a care in the word, we are finding that and increasing amount of students feel stressed, worried, angry and alone.
As a Middle School Pastor, I run into discouraged students often. Some face the normal struggle of growing up, but not all. Increasingly many of their life stories are so overwhelming that they hit you like a punch in the gut when you hear them. Students in the suburbs who are starving themselves, cutting themselves, hating themselves, dreading the circumstances of their life, and, even wondering if anyone cares about their suffering. Quietly they ask in the dark, “does God see me... does he care... is he even there?”
Discouragement and disillusionment seem to be everywhere, yet for the Christian, we struggle to cling to hope. Not blind optimism that ignores the true struggle of life, nor pessimism which surrenders to the darkness of despair, but gritty hope that finds a way to believe that God will not abandon us in the dark.
The bible is full of this sort of hope. The Apostle Paul describes the reality of this hope in these terms:
Its hard to imagine a worse marketing tag line that that, but the Bible’s honesty rings true. Faith doesn’t promise life won’t be hard, but faith promises God is enough. God can get us through it.
The psalmist describes this faith when he states that
The valley will come, and it will be dark, but God is with us in the valley. This statement reminds of some of Jesus parting words words, when he tells us that he will be with us always (Matt 28:18). In the midst of our personal periods of darkness, Jesus is described as the light which shines into our depression, fear, abandonment, loneliness, and emptiness.
Hope of this sort can be found. Its authenticity rises above superficiality and platitudes. An authenticity born from the refusal to ignore the pain and struggle, while at the same time clinging to the belief that God hears our cries and he cares about our struggles.
This is the sort of hope so many students today need. Real hope that God’s light can reach the darkest corner of their soul, driving out their fears, and replacing them with love. A hope that God is making all things new, and that one day they will experience a city where there are no shadows of doubt no dark corners of despair. Where Jesus himself is our ever present and constant light.
The needs are great, but so are the opportunities. We have the chance to shine the light for those who need it most.
May we be the ones who carry the torch of grace and love into the darkness that so many face!
In an election year, it is seems easier than normal to get discouraged; To feel like life is not getting better, but worse.Perhaps it has something to do with all the “uplifting” political commercials we have been watching for the last two years. While many tudents make it through middle school with out a care in the word, we are finding that and increasing amount of students feel stressed, worried, angry and alone. As a Middle School Pastor, I run into discouraged students often. Some face the normal struggle of growing up, but not all. Increasingly many of their life stories are so overwhelming that they hit you like a punch in the gut when you hear them. Students in the suburbs who are starving themselves, cutting themselves, hating themselves, dreading the circumstances of their life, and, even wondering if anyone cares about their suffering. Quietly they ask in the dark, “does God see me... does he care... is he even there?”
Discouragement and disillusionment seem to be everywhere, yet for the Christian, we struggle to cling to hope. Not blind optimism that ignores the true struggle of life, nor pessimism which surrenders to the darkness of despair, but gritty hope that finds a way to believe that God will not abandon us in the dark.
The bible is full of this sort of hope. The Apostle Paul describes the reality of this hope in these terms:
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Cor. 4:8-9)“
Its hard to imagine a worse marketing tag line that that, but the Bible’s honesty rings true. Faith doesn’t promise life won’t be hard, but faith promises God is enough. God can get us through it.
The psalmist describes this faith when he states that
“even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; (Psalm 23:4).”
The valley will come, and it will be dark, but God is with us in the valley. This statement reminds of some of Jesus parting words words, when he tells us that he will be with us always (Matt 28:18). In the midst of our personal periods of darkness, Jesus is described as the light which shines into our depression, fear, abandonment, loneliness, and emptiness.
Hope of this sort can be found. Its authenticity rises above superficiality and platitudes. An authenticity born from the refusal to ignore the pain and struggle, while at the same time clinging to the belief that God hears our cries and he cares about our struggles.
This is the sort of hope so many students today need. Real hope that God’s light can reach the darkest corner of their soul, driving out their fears, and replacing them with love. A hope that God is making all things new, and that one day they will experience a city where there are no shadows of doubt no dark corners of despair. Where Jesus himself is our ever present and constant light.
The needs are great, but so are the opportunities. We have the chance to shine the light for those who need it most.
May we be the ones who carry the torch of grace and love into the darkness that so many face!
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Steve Jobs Called me today...
Steve Jobs (Actually his office) called me today. A few days ago I emailed them about my ongoing struggle with MobileMe/.mac. Over the last few years, I have had either .mac, or MobileMe delete all of my contacts, without asking, at least 5 times.
It is a chilling experience to go to email someone, only to have an empty address book staring you back in the face. Worse still, when you are on the go, with your super - iPhone, and need to make the timely important call... and every single contact you have is gone...
So... after taking it for a few years, I was done... I sent Steve the following email:
Steve,
I love your products, but am really frustrated. Today for the fifth time, my contacts were entirely erased. I went to send an email, and they were just gone. Gone on my iPhone, gone on my macbook pro, gone on Mobile me. Just gone.
I don't want to bother you, but could you please go down to the MobileMe department and look deep in their eyes and get them to make MobileMe "really great"?
I would really appreciate it.
Thinking different,
Brandon
So, my wife laughed at me when I sent my emails to steve@(mac; me; apple).com... but she just smiled when Steve Jobs himself (not really steve, but a very nice personal representative of Steve Jobs' office) in California gave me a call to let me know he (actually the representative) was concerned with my problem. Steve personally (actually his personal representative named nate) just wanted to make sure I was getting the type of care that my situation warranted.
Now... they have escalated my trouble to an engineering team..
So... His Steve-ness,
while I still want MobileMe to 'just work', thanks for the call. I suppose it makes me a rabid fanboy to be moved by your gesture, but your personal call (actually that of your rep nate) put my worries at ease. Thanks for personally (through your representative) putting apples resources to work on my little problem
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